1. Field
The present invention relates to display devices, and more particularly, to a method of displaying recorded material and a display device using the same.
2. Background
A contemporary display device, such as a television receiver provided with a personal video recorder (PVR), enables the storage (i.e., recording) and playback (i.e., reproduction) of received signals, e.g., received television broadcasts and other video-based content, according to a user selection from a recording item list, which may be displayed using on-screen display (OSD) data. Such a recording item list can be viewed as an OSD menu including selectable icons, for example, in the form of titles and/or thumbnails, providing a user with means to designate for playback a specific recording item of the list.
Meanwhile, the display device may be further provided with a limited preview mode enabling a user to recognize content of a designated (highlighted) recording item. A recording item is typically designated by manipulating a curser to navigate the displayed recording item list, for example, to select a specific recording item for playback. In the preview mode, a thumbnail or other sample image corresponding to each menu item (e.g., title) may be displayed via a corresponding preview window. That is, the OSD menu of the recording item list uses a single preview window to display a sample image of the corresponding recording item when highlighted for playback execution.
For improved user recognition of the selected recording item, the single preview window may display more than one such thumbnail or sample image. For example, a plurality of thumbnails may appear in the preview window through the use of a type of a revolving display, where a predetermined viewing time period is allotted for each thumbnail before the next thumbnail is likewise displayed for a similar time period. In other words, prior to playback execution, a single preview window may display a predetermined set of sample images, one by one, in correspondence to any selected one of the recording items. Such a revolving display may be initiated for a default menu item (e.g., the latest recording item) in the absence of a user selection from the recording item list or upon such recording item selection by the user.
In a contemporary display device as described above, however, a user has difficulty in recognizing the overall contents of corresponding recorded material at a glance. Also, after selection of a specific recording item for playback, in the event that there may be a favorite or otherwise specially desired portion of the selected recording item, it may take the user considerable time to search for a corresponding recording point enabling more immediate playback.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a method of displaying recorded material and display apparatus using the same that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of displaying recorded material and display apparatus using the same, which facilitates user recognition of the contents of selected recorded material prior to its reproduction (playback).
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of displaying recorded material and display apparatus using the same, which facilitates user recognition of the contents of all recorded material available for reproduction (playback).
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of displaying recorded material and display apparatus using the same, which facilitates the recognition and designation for playback of a specific recording position of recorded material selected (designated) by a user.
Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these objects and other advantages in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a method of displaying recorded material in a display device. The method comprises displaying a recording item list having a plurality of recording items; and simultaneously displaying, in response to a user selection of a specific recording item, a plurality of sample images corresponding to the selected recording item via a corresponding plurality of preview windows.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display device comprising a personal video recorder (PVR) unit for storing content of at least one recording item of a recording item list; a PVR controller for extracting a plurality of sample images corresponding to each stored recording item; and a display module including a screen for displaying the recording item list in response to a recording item list request and for simultaneously displaying, in response to a user selection of a specific recording item, the extracted sample images corresponding to the selected recording item via a corresponding plurality of preview windows.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.